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Nursery Rhyme Wisdom - an Introduction.

 

The Nursery Rhymes are verse from literature that have endured time, imprinting the lively, rhythmical, alliterative song-like little stories in the world ether.  This gives them additional power in the telling.

This is one reason why children love them to be told again and again.  I like to include them in and amongst a prose story made for the nursery rhyme, to give the children the gifts of the nursery rhyme, along with the gift of a longer story.  The children benefit greatly from the rhythmical aspect of the verses, which deepen and regulate wonderful breathing and circulation of the blood.  The play of the consonants which find their best home in the nursery rhymes will strengthen children’s speech muscles and language.

'Nursery Rhymes are to the developing child's physical body, what Fairy Tales are to their developing inner lives.'  (Dr. Dee Coulter, Linguist and Anthroposophist).  A powerful and mysterious statement!  One clue to begin our pondering on this is to think of the Consonants, which are the essence of the Nursery Rhyme, as formative powers that help children build their physical body.  Where-as the vowels, belong to the Fairy Tales, as soul related sound qualities, defining the emerging soul lives of  young children.  

Starting with baby babbling, B, Mmm, and onward, The youngest children are laying the foundation for later speech.  Repetition again and again,  B B B B, M M M M, (try this yourselves) bringing awareness and baby beginning muscular strengthening to the lip area.  How fun when they hear  mama crooning  Little Boy Blue..., Baa Baa Black Sheep..., or Bye Baby Bunting.... again and again...  

Try other consonantal babbling yourselves and you will discover the 'muscle knowing' needed all over your mouth for language precision.  This is a beginning start to give you an amazing and deeper appreciation of the real reasons why we want to tell Nursery Rhymes to our littles, all the way up to 9 years old. 

Try consciously speaking the Nursery Rhyme below, paying attention to the parts of the mouth, part of our speech organ, and how varied the different muscle areas come to life in the making of these clear consonantal sounds.  The young child works hard at making these nimble and quick, and Nursery Rhymes support this immensely.

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Learn about our  Mini Puppet Boot Camp on Nursery Rhyme Puppetry - a 4 week Therapeutic Tool box immersion into this wonderful theme - Click Here for details!  Available now, and you may work at your own best schedule, the course is yours to keep.

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